Waiting for Joffrey
"Waiting For Joffrey" is the twelfth episode of season two. It first aired on March 27, 2012. Synopsis The girls are put to the test when they learn a talent scout for the Joffrey Ballet School will be at their next competition. Abby puts the girls against each other with two different trios: one containing Nia, Paige, and Mackenzie, and the other containing Chloe, Maddie, and Brooke. Nia injures her ankle while doing a dance move, and the doctor tells her she can dance, but advises her not to do her "special moves." Abby finds out about Kelly contemplating getting breast implants and makes the theme of the group dance about nipping and tucking. Chloe forgets her solo on stage, but continues to dance. Abby thinks she did the right thing by not running offstage and tells Nia she could learn from it. Competition Attended Energy in Highland, Michigan on February 4-5, 2012.http://www.energyndc.com/competitions/regionals/howell-michigan Weekly Dances *Group: "Nip Tuck" - did not place (genre: contemporary) *Paige, Mackenzie, Nia trio: "Girl Fun" - did not place (genre: acro) *Maddie, Chloe, Brooke trio: "Somebody Told Me" - 1st Overall (genre: lyrical) *Maddie solo: "Quiet Voices" - 1st Overall (genre: lyrical) *Chloe solo: "Watercolors Fade" - 5th Overall (genre: lyrical; dance entitled "Rain Drops" in official resultshttp://www.energyndc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Competition-Results-for-Highland.pdf) Summary Abby congratulates the team for last week's group performance, but criticizes Nia in the trio. Chloe is put at the very bottom of the pyramid, told she needs a challenge. Nia and Paige are also at the bottom, as Kelly complains. Mackenzie is placed in the middle, told she needs more than just her gymnastics. Brooke is placed in the middle, and laughs when Abby warns her to avoid getting more hickies from chin stands. Maddie is placed at the top, for getting overall high score and beating Justice. Abby reveals that there will be a scout from Joffrey this week, generating excitement. This week's group dance will be "Nip and Tuck", with Kelly supposedly wanting a boob job. Abby says the group dance will be eerie, and Maddie appears disturbed. There will be two trios, one with Mackenzie, Paige and Nia; the other with Brooke, Maddie and Chloe. Christi thinks it's unfair to the first trio to compete them against the second. In the mezzanine, Christi doesn't understand why Chloe is on the bottom, while Melissa is unsure why Mackenzie was ranked in the middle. Into the camera, Christi sarcastically suggests that Mackenzie might be in the middle because Melissa is best friends with Abby. Holly worries that Abby will give lots of attention to one trio, but neglect the trio with Nia; the other moms agree with this concern. Abby says the moms inspired the group dance topic, and Melissa and Kelly talk about desiring plastic surgery. Christi defiantly says that she wears her own nose as a badge of honor. The moms agree that their daughters aren't self-conscious about their bodies. In practice, Nia falls in pain. Holly says Nia is tough, and is thus concerned, and following examinations by Abby and Gianna, Holly takes her daughter to a doctor. The doctor tells Nia that x-rays suggest a stress fracture, and while Nia's okayed to dance, he says she should not do tricks. Maddie wants to work hard to impress the Joffrey scout, as Abby explains her solo is about hearing voices. Abby enthusiastically praises Maddie's rehearsal. Abby also praises Chloe's dance ability, but again believes she is trying to create her own choreography, and is being unfocused. Abby sends Chloe away, and has Maddie dance in front of the ALDC senior company, to serve as their inspiration; Christi can't believe Abby is doting on Maddie again. Christi and Kelly argue with Melissa, and Melissa escapes the room into the company of Abby and Maddie. Melissa tells Maddie that, because of the other moms criticisms, she doesn't want to dance here anymore. A stunned Maddie asks in reply, "Ever?" Melissa affirms that she means just that. Christi goes downstairs and accuses Melissa of hiding, making Melissa leave the building, letting others take her daughters home. The next day, Holly, Kelly and Christi go to lunch, wondering where Abby dreams up themes for dances like "Nip and Tuck". Holly thinks Nia and the other girls are being neglected, in a week when the Joffrey scout will be attending. Christi accuses Melissa of constantly scheming, to the agreement of Holly and Kelly. On the bus to competition, Abby bossily orders the bus driver to pick up her dog at home. The bus driver sticks out his tongue and refuses, to the delight of Holly and Kelly, happy to see Abby put in her place. Remembering the conversations on plastic surgery, Melissa gives Kelly a gift in the form of a large black bra. Christi contrasts this friendliness with Melissa swearing she was quitting the ALDC just the other day, and says Melissa is "wack-a-doodle-doo." In the dressing room, Christi worries that Chloe may be unprepared to do three dances this week. Abby notices that Maddie is displaying unusual amounts of nervous energy. Maddie starts to cry and complain, as she is stuck with a pin while her costume is fitted. Maddie performs her solo in front of the judge from Joffrey's. Mackenzie smiles while watching, telling the camera that she likes watching her big sister, and is working on becoming as good. Abby is happy with the performance, and notes the audience was silent in its absolute attentiveness. Chloe is excited to perform with dancers as talented as Brooke and Maddie in front of the Joffrey scout. Abby thinks they nailed their trio performance. Holly worries about Nia's foot, as she begins her trio with Mackenzie and Paige. Afterwards, everyone seems pleased with their performance, including Abby when talking to the camera. In the dressing room, Nia tries to get some kind of positive acknowledgment from Abby, but Abby only offers a luke-warm response, at which Holly complains. In the dressing room practicing, Abby notices Chloe keeps forgetting part of her solo, and tries to fix that. Christi worries Chloe has been doubting herself since Miami, hugging and reassuring her "Chlo-bird." Maddie also hugs Chloe, and as Chloe departs, Maddie shouts "Love you" for good luck. Abby notes Chloe is dancing beautifully... then "boom", Chloe forgets part of her solo, as the Joffrey scout watches. After momentarily appearing lost, Chloe manages to finish her dance. In the dressing room, Abby asks Nia if she learned from Chloe's recovery after getting lost in her dance; Holly objects to the comparison with the week in Miami. The girls perform their "Nip and Tuck" group dance, gashes of red make-up simulating surgical cuts on their faces and bodies. Holly hopes the Joffrey scout was impressed with Nia, and Abby hopes the scout was impressed with all her dancers. At awards, Maddie wins first in the junior division for her solo. Chloe's solo fails to place, as Christi hopes Chloe learned from the experience. For junior duo/trio, third and second places are awarded to other teams. The announcer begins to announce first for duo/trio, as Paige carefully watches the announcer, and instantaneously shouts and applauds when the other ALDC trio is announced as winners. Kelly is happy for Brooke, but feels sorry for her other daughter Paige. Runner-ups are announced for power junior groups, leaving only the winner, with "Nip and Tuck" still unmentioned. Chloe signals a thumbs up into the audience, and Christi blows back a kiss. Chloe, Brooke and Maddie raise their arms as the announcer begins to announce the final winner; but their arms fall and their smiles vanish as another team's name is announced. Abby complains that they are never going to win group routines if they aren't together. Christi worries they won't be invited by the Joffrey. But the scout for the Joffrey Ballet School enters the dressing room, and invites them to an open audition. Abby says this is big, with twenty thousand students auditioning each year for their summer intensive program, hoping one of her dancers wins their scholarship and increases her reputation. The scout gone, Chloe jumps around in excitement. Abby signals for high fives, appearing disappointed when it goes unrecognized; but seconds later Chloe rushes to Abby and hugs her. Mackenzie follows Chloe in jumping into Abby's arms, eyes opened wide as Abby lifts her in a bear-hug. Dialogue Trivia *Pyramid: **Top: Maddie **Middle: Brooke, Mackenzie **Bottom: Paige, Nia, Chloe *When Abby calls in the senior company to watch Maddie do her solo, Brandon can be seen. *The event attended corresponds to the Dance Moms: Miami episode Your Duet Can Take a Bow. *Stars Dance Studio also went to Energy in Highland, Michigan. Kimmy's solo "It Feels Good To Be Bad" placed fourth overall, beating Chloe, but they both lost to Maddie. Stars' group "Wipe Them Out" placed first, however. *On Dance Moms, viewers believed Chloe did not place with her solo, but on Dance Moms: Miami it shows Chloe got 5th place. *Although "Girl Fun" didn't place, it did win a special award called the Balls of Energy Award. *In addition to placing 1st Overall, "Somebody Told Me" won a special award called Beautiful Jumps in the Elite Energy Award division. *The Joffrey Ballet School is located in Greenwich Village, New York City.http://www.joffreyballetschool.com/history.html The Joffrey Ballet and its Joffrey Academy of Dance are located in Chicago, Illinois.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joffrey_Ballet While both organizations trace their historical origins to Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, they are not affiliated.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQTvazbCLGc Video Gallery References Category:Season Two Episodes Category:Episodes Category:Group Dances Category:Trios Category:Maddie Solos Category:Chloe Solos Category:No Duets Category:Contemporary Category:Jazz Category:Lyrical Category:Energy Category:Highland Category:Michigan Category:February Competitions